Coughlin won’t commit to Wilson as Giants starter, but might not have a choice

New York Post | Sep 10

Tom Coughlin was actually able to chuckle on Monday when asked if the Giants need a bigger running back seeing that David Wilson was stopped for no gain from the Dallas 1-yard line in the season-opening 36-31 loss to the Cowboys.

“I think we need to block better to be honest with you’’ Coughlin said. “I wasn’t concerned about the goal line from the running backs standpoint. He ran it up in there hard he just didn’t have much to work with.’’

No the blocking of the reshaped offensive line was not good at all on that play but Coughlin and the Giants at the moment have a more pressing need. Wilson took the baton in the backfield from Ahmad Bradshaw who took it from Brandon Jacobs who took it from Tiki Barber and Wilson has more pure physical talent than any of those 1000-yard rushers. But Wilson also has a big problem when it comes to holding onto the ball.

“I’m not going to get into that yet’’ Coughlin said when asked if Wilson after losing two fumbles in the opener remains the Giants starting running back.

“We’ll see what happens as we get started in the week’’ Coughlin said.

There really isn’t much of a choice for Coughlin or the Giants as they have almost no legitimate option other than Wilson. Da’Rel Scott after Coughlin benched Wilson played well but he was involved in the fateful play that killed off the Giants’ comeback chances when he failed to get the handle on an Eli Manning screen pass that was turned into the game-deciding interception and touchdown return for the Cowboys the last of six turnovers by a team that couldn’t be stopped except when it stopped itself.

The only other running back on the roster is rookie Michael Cox who is not nearly ready to be vaulted into a starting role. That brings us to the events transpiring on Tuesday when among those attending the weekly workouts will be running backs Brandon Jacobs and Willis McGahee with Joe McKnight also a possible attendee. Last week the Giants took a look at running backs Beanie Wells Leon Washington and Jonathan Dwyer.